


Princess Protection Program

by lextenou



Category: Kim Possible (Cartoon)
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: Kim Possible Slash Haven, Consent is Sexy, F/F, Idiots in Love, Melodramatic Reactions, Secret Global Justice Agent Shego, Secretly a Hero, Stupid Decisions Driven By Emotions, canon-typical idiocy, double agent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2018-12-30 11:04:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12107358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lextenou/pseuds/lextenou
Summary: There's a secret Shego has been dying to tell. A secret that changes everything...but she's duty bound never to speak of it. If she can make it through this mission, it'll be fine. When it comes to anything involving Kim Possible, Shego should have long ago realized that nothing would fall within two standard deviations of the norm.





	1. Mission Objective: Engage and Report

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in the winter of 2004, this story has previously been published as a collaboration. Collaborative additions were removed and this story has been reworked with an ending different to what was originally posted under the name "Secret Agent" on June 4th, 2005. Various snippets and incarnations of this fic have been floating around since then.
> 
> This story is a response to a challenge originally posted on the Kim Possible Slash Haven board requesting a fic with the title "Princess Protection Program". This fic is also compliant with the fanon that Kim's birthday is in May and therefore she is 18 at the time of her graduation and the start of this fic.
> 
> This story blatantly ignores the continuity and canon of the series under the adage "I recognize that canon has made a decision, but as it was a stupid decision, I have elected to ignore it."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mission is confirmed. A heart is on the line.

Stygian blackness consumed the forest around her as she slipped through the trees. The entrance was just up ahead, hidden by unnaturally thick foliage. Twigs threatened to snap underfoot as she threaded her way through the heavy greenery. In the distance, crickets chirped their nocturnal melody, their song a sirens call through the calm air. She smiled to herself to hear them, the constant hum of their mating call as artificial as the massive underground compound below her.

She slipped between two trees and stopped next to a low shrub. Nimble fingers reached under and lifted a branch of the shrubbery out of the way to expose a small camouflaged number panel recessed into a branch. She punched in a rapid series of numbers and stood back as the tree behind her opened to reveal a dark chamber. She stepped in and entered a different number sequence.

The doors swished silently shut around her and she breathed a sigh of relief. She would relax against the side of the tube, were she not acutely aware of the observation behind the hidden and unblinking camera's eye.

Maybe after this mission.

The chamber drew to a smooth stop and the doors opened rapidly, spreading to expose a dark conference room. A semi circle of large desks, all cast in deep shadow, surrounded a single spotlight that shone into the middle of the room. She strode confidently into the room and stood in the spotlight.

"You called for a conference." The quiet, commanding voice had melted her knees, the tremors that suffused her almost taking her down - the first time she heard it. In the years since, too much had passed between them for her to react so tremulously; not the least of which was that which had forced her hand and driven her to stand in the deliberately spotlit room.

"I am officially requesting reassignment."

She could hear the shadowed council as two of them shifted in their seats; one leaned back, and another steepled fingers. One of the council leaned forward, her face coming out of the deep shadow into a lighter shadow, just past the edge of light. She could see the dark patch that covered one eye, and knew it was Dr. Director, head of Global Justice.

"Denied. You are the only agent in the correct position for the objective in question. You will finish your assigned mission."

Her jaw tensed. "That is understood. The request stands."

"Is it too hard for you?" The condescension held within the question forced her pride, shackled to allow her to come here in the first place, to sit up and take notice. It bayed at her inner defenses, demanding that she rectify the affront. Perhaps by beating the snide questioner's face in.

"It is too easy."

"Then you should see no issue with completing your assignment." That same smooth voice raised her hackles, all the more because she knew the speaker was right.

"Enough of that. Since you're here anyway, give us a status report." Dr Director waved a dismissive hand through the air to prompt her report.

"Objective is in sight. All is in readiness for G-day. There shall be no further issues."

"You are still engaging at every opportunity?"

"Yes."

Dr. Director nodded and threaded her fingers together over her stomach as she leaned back in her chair.

"Very well, then. You shall contact us should anything arise that you cannot handle?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. You are dismissed, Shego."

Shego nodded her head and turned on her heel, exiting the same way she had entered. It wasn't until she was back in her pilfered hovercraft that she allowed a frustrated groan to escape her before starting it and heading back to Dr. Drakken's current lair.

Below the forest, Dr. Director smiled and spoke into the dark room.

"I love it when a plan comes together."

\---

Shego rubbed her eyes, driving the remnants of bone weary fatigue from them. Her hand raised toward the ceiling, soft licking light flaring around her fingers. She scowled and dropped her hand, the display snuffed.

This wasn't what she had signed up for. She wasn't supposed to feel this way. It was supposed to be a simple assignment. Pretend to be a villain and fight Kim Possible to be sure she's trained correctly, to ensure that her potential is allowed to bloom safely, to be positioned as nemesis and create just enough chaos to undermine feasible plans from Dr. Drakken. Then Shego could be an official member of Global Justice, a fully fledged Agent.

It had started so long ago...soon after she and her brothers had received their powers. She had been approached by GJ early in her hero career, and had been presented with a sweet offer she'd barely been able to fathom: go undercover as a villain and train Kim Possible. Upon successful completion of her mission, she'd be given a chance to be a part of something bigger than just Go City. A chance to really accomplish something with her life besides be a poor little rich girl.

A chance to make a name for herself, apart from her brothers.

Shego sighed and sat up, moving to the bathroom and splashing cold water on her face. Moping about it wasn't doing anything. Not like she had been doing for the last two years. She'd been out there, ostensibly helping Dr. Drakken, but in truth, she had been going up against Kim Possible at every opportunity, training her for her future with Global Justice.

A future that didn't include being around Shego. She was supposed to be a middle to lower level lackey in the overall Global Justice organization. Kim...Kim would be team leader at worst...Dr. Director's heir apparent at best.

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, water dripping from the curve of her chin. Who was she fooling? There would never be a way for Kim to see her as a friend. As...anything other than an enemy, even if she were to know the truth.

Kim would always see Shego as her nemesis. Never...never the way that Shego saw Kim. Never the way that Shego looked at Kim.

Shego allowed her head to thump against the cool glass of the mirror. The pain of impact felt good. Calmly, she let a string of curses fill the air around her.

Momentarily cleansed, she raised her head and stared at her reflection once again.

It didn't matter. It was almost G-day. Then she wouldn't have to deal with this any longer, and she could start her own career, her own life...

Somewhere else.

Telling Kim of her infatuation would only complicate things. She didn't need to do that. The mission was close to completion. Then she could escape, somewhere remote, somewhere far from smirking self-assured redheads that knew just how to press against her body to-

Shego let her head impact against her mirror again, a litany of curses filling her mind.

\---

"What's the matter Kimmie? Not able to see around the huge scarf Mommy made you?" Shego taunted Kim as they circled each other in the frozen wilds of Canada's arctic north. Shego rushed Kim, her hand descending in a chop directed at Kim's shoulder, just to the edge of the scarf of which she spoke.

"I'll have you know-" Kim grunted as she blocked Shego's chop, "-that my Nonny made this scarf!" Kim swept a foot at Shego's knee.

"How sweet." Shego sneered as she flipped over Kim's outstretched leg. "Does she make mittens too?"

Kim let out a frustrated cry and tackled Shego into the snow bank behind them. They struggled in the loose, powdery snow, the tiny crystals sticking to their clothing as they grappled. Behind them, Drakken and Ron circled each other, both distracted away from the small hairless body of Rufus as he scampered closer to the large red button marked "DO NOT PUSH. I MEAN IT."

Heedless of the printed warning, Rufus slammed his paws against the button. Immediately, the area was blanketed by maelstrom of snow, the air pelting them all with tiny crystals of ice.

"Why did you have to steal a weather machine again!" Ron yelled at Drakken.

"It was left unlocked with the keys in it!" Ron nodded in understanding and was then promptly swept from his feet by a sudden and strong gust of wind. He toppled into the snow with a desperate cry. Drakken struggled upright against the wall of wind and staggered toward the machine. When he finally reached it, he found Rufus clinging desperately to the driver's seat, unable to move due to the gale force winds that whipped around them.

He reached over and flipped random switches, pushing every button he could. One of them switched the wind into a freezing rain. Teeth chattering, Drakken continued mashing buttons and desperately flipping switches.

"One of these has got to-HA! Take that, Miss Smarty Pants Shego!" Drakken looked around the suddenly quiet clearing. About fifteen feet away, Ron was still struggling in the snow, his legs flailing wildly. A small flesh colored figure dashed across the snow towards Ron. Drakken shuddered and scanned the area. "Shego! Where is a good lackey when you need them?"

With that, Drakken swung into the driver's seat and flew off, a trail of smoke emitting from the rear of the craft. He disappeared over the horizon just as Ron finally pulled his head and arms free of the snowbank, the low whirring of helicopter blades approaching from the distance. He covered his eyes against the harsh northern sun and peered into the sky.

As they grew closer, he let out a whoop of joy as he recognized the Global Justice insignia. His face split into a huge grin as he recognized the agent that disembarked from the helicopter.

"Will! Glad to see ya! Hey, any chance you followed up on that thing we talked about last time?" Ron smiled widely at Agent Will Du.

"No. An army of naked mole rats will not be installed to watch over all the heads of state." Will walked past him, surveying the terrain. "Nice...try."

Ron chuckled and punched Will in the shoulder. "Next time, eh, Willie? So you here to pick up me and KP?" Ron looked around. "Hey, where is KP? KIM!"

"That is what we have come to ascertain." Will bent over and picked up an object in the snow.

"Hey! That's her Kimmunicator!"

"And the only way we have of tracking Ms. Possible." Will turned to agents he was with. "S&R, pattern Alpha, contingency Beta!"

The elite agents quickly dispersed, covering the snowy terrain in a wide search pattern.

\---

Meanwhile, miles away, Shego and Kim struggled from the snowbank that had broken their descent from the heavens. One of the side effects of the weather machine's operation was an immediate explosive burst of air, forming a miniature jet stream that obeyed no laws but it's own. Kim and Shego, unfortunately caught up in this gust, had ended up being buffeted from all sides before the miniature stream lost it's teeth and deposited them in the middle of a nice, hard, wet - and now destroyed - snowbank.

Shego and Kim eyed each other warily as they pulled themselves from the snow. Kim remained on alert as she shook the clinging wet snow from her pants.

Shego shifted forward and laughed as Kim immediately sprang into a fighting stance.

"Oh come off it, Kimmie. Do you really think it'll do me any good to beat you here, where I have no transportation?" Shego scoffed. "I might as well shoot myself in the foot, sweetheart."

"So...what? A truce?"

Shego laughed. "A truce? With you? How about an agreement that I won't hit first."

Kim nodded and relaxed from her fighting stance. "Shelter, then?"

Shego looked around and nodded, gesturing at the woods that surrounded them. "Pick a direction, Kimmie."

Kim began walking into the woods, talking to Shego over her shoulder. "You know, I really hate it when you call me that."

Shego smirked and watched Kim's trim figure delve into the trees. "I know."

They didn't speak much, hiking through the wet, heavy snow for about fifteen minutes before Shego remembered something.

"What about your friend with the deathly aversion to leaving his room? Can't you call him on that thing you have?" As much as she wanted to stay near Kim, Shego knew that it would only bring trouble for them to remain in the wilderness.

"The Kimmunicator!" Kim stopped abruptly and dug through her pockets. Shego waited patiently as Kim pawed at herself with increasing desperation. "It's not here! Did you take it?"

Shego scoffed. "Like I need a toy. I wouldn't touch that thing."

"It must have fallen out of my pocket. Damn it!"

"Now, Kimmie, did your parents raise you to use such language?"

"I don't see my parents here, do you?" Kim snapped. Shego stared at her for a second, her head cocking to the side as she took in the tense line of slim shoulders and thinly twisted mouth. To think she'd seriously thought about-

A confident smirk curved her lips. "Just us and our romantic hideaway."

"ARGH!" Kim threw her hands up in the air and stalked off, refusing to continue the absurd conversation with Shego any longer.

They continued trudging through the snow, the wetness seeping through their winter clothing and freezing their muscles. Shego cursed her choice of clothing, the slim line of her pants not allowing for any insulation worth mention. At least her jacket was keeping her torso reasonably warm. She eyed Kim's winter wear with envious eyes, the heavy pants looking a great deal more comfortable than the thin crap she was wearing.

By the time they had stopped to find that Kim was missing her doohickey, her legs had already frozen. Continuing to move was the best thing she could do, since it would keep the blood flowing through the sluggish muscles. Their trek continued for another hour before they stumbled into a small clearing.

There stood a small log cabin. It's rough hewn logs and simple, intact roof looked like heaven to Shego. She made a mental note to figure out where they were so she could find out who owned what was going to be their home for the night.

"What are you waiting for Kimmie? I'm already a popsicle. If you want to go for the full ice cube look..." Shego leaned in towards Kim, her breath puffing against Kim's cheek as she walked around her and towards the cabin.

"Normally, I'd argue with you, but I am way too cold to argue. Warmth first." Kim stalked toward the cabin, following Shego.

"Aww..." Shego tried the door and to her surprise, found it locked. She frowned. Kim stepped up next to Shego, hefting a rock. She looked over at Kim and grinned. On the bottom, facing Shego, was a small sliding door. She reached out a hand and wrapped it around Kim's wrist, the thrum of her heartbeat muted by the cold. Her chilled fingers felt even colder pressed against the slight warmth of Kim's wrist as she pointed to the bottom of the hide-a-key.

She may or may not have brushed her thumb against the inside of Kim's wrist as she released it. From the stuttered jerk of Kim's hands against the rock, she probably had.

They quickly swept into the cabin, replacing the rock but keeping the key. The interior of the cabin held a pervasive chill and bare furnishings. The only place to sit was either an old rocker or the large bed that dominated the small room. A small camp stove and a cupboard over a stand alone sink basin marked the kitchen corner, and one wall held two doors. One of the doors led to a closet packed with linens and spare clothing, and the other door led to a small indoor bathroom. The toilet actually ran on some kind of electrical circuit that Shego couldn't figure out at first glance. What it meant was that instead of being consigned to a watery grave, whatever was 'flushed' was actually incinerated. Another sink basin stood in that room as well.

Shego nodded to herself as Kim set about checking the fireplace. The large stone structure dominated one wall, a simple mantel providing a surface for some candles.

"So...how do you build a fire?"

Shego stared at Kim in disbelief.

"Didn't they teach you that in Girl Scouts?"

"If I had been in Girl Scouts, they probably would have. Since I wasn't, what conclusion does that make you draw?" Kim snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. She shivered as the chill in the room seeped through her clothing.

Shego sighed and stepped forward, quickly laying and lighting the fire. She stared as the flames began to lick at the logs.

"I have no idea how I did that." Why didn't I just light up my hands, she wondered absently.

"Ooh, admitting weakness. Is that wise?"

Shego shook her head, smiling and not answering. They waited as the temperature slowly inched upward in the small room. The steady dripping of melting snow sounded loudly in counterpoint to the hissing and crackling of the flames.

"We should get out of these clothes." Shego shrugged out of her jacket and laid it over the rocker. Kim was staring at her when she looked up. "What?"

"Trying to get me naked and vulnerable so you can toss me in the snow?"

Shego smirked. "As much fun as it would be to have you naked, Princess, I was thinking more along the lines of borrowing some of our host's clothes so we can warm up and not get sick. Don't know about you, but I hate colds."

Kim shuddered. "Change is good."

They quickly stripped of their wet clothing. Shego pulled down some of the voluminous, but dry, clothing from the closet and handed some to Kim. She wondered, if she turned around, would she see Kim's flat stomach, highlighted and shadowed by the flickering firelight kissing along her curves?

Shego shivered. It wasn't like she didn't see Kim's stomach all the time. For some reason, to see it now, while they were stuck here, made it seem...enticing.

Shego shook her head. She didn't need to be thinking that way. Not right now. Imagining the feel of Kim's fingers digging into her back while her hand slipped downward - a hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"You warming up?" Shego stared at Kim dumbly, then looked down at the slender fingers that lightly touched her through the thick cotton of her borrowed shirt. "Shego?"

"Um...I'm fine." Shego pulled away from Kim and moved to the bed. As she sat on the large, soft surface, she cursed mentally and wished fervently for a large hole to open in the floor and swallow her.

"You sure? You're shivering."

Shego stared at her shaking hands. Why were her own hands betraying her? She didn't want Kim knowing how deeply she was being affected. Before she could assert that she was fine, Kim's svelte frame was pressed against her side.

"Shego? I'm not about to let you freeze. We've got unfinished business." Shego could hear the smile in Kim's voice as she stared at the floor. She remained still, her eyes fixed on the floor as her body shook lightly.

Kim sighed. Shego could almost hear her rolling her eyes in her head. She wasn't sure what to expect, but to suddenly have Kim wrapped around her wasn't it.

The gentle feel of Kim's breasts against her arm effectively fried what few mental circuits weren't still frozen. Shego turned her head to stare at Kim, their noses dangerously close to colliding. Shego traced her gaze over Kim's features rapidly, her dazed eyes taking in the woman before her. Her visual wandering stopped when she met Kim's gaze directly. Their eyes caught and held for endless breaths, a dangerous and intense current arcing between them. A delicate flush began coloring Kim's cheeks as they continued to stare at each other wordlessly.

"I...I think I need to lay down." Shego could barely recognize the rasp that emerged as her own voice. Surely some sort of strange creature who sounded like rusty cans being scraped with a metal file had snuck into the room and spoken those words. It could not have been her.

"That's a good idea." Kim's hushed tones, hot puffs of breath that bathed Shego's chin, almost made her shudder with heightened arousal.

Shego wasn't entirely sure how she managed to get under the covers with Kim tucked in next to her. The press of Kim's body against her own made her shiver, which made Kim press flush against her. Shego could tell exactly where the curve of Kim's breasts gave way to the toned muscles of her stomach.

Kim wrapped her arms around Shego's quivering body awkwardly, hampered by the stiffness that suffused her bedmate. Her warm hands rubbed slowly over Shego's shirt covered arm. Shego's breath came shallowly as she tried to regain control of her errant libido. It did not help one iota that Kim's arm was brushing against her breasts with every pass.

That last brush was longer than the others...wasn't it? It was hard for Shego to tell with the buzz of arousal in her brain. There! That was a definite caress. Kim's arm had lingered over her breasts. How long had she been rubbing Shego's arm?

Shego turned her head to look at Kim though heavily lidded eyes. Kim watched her, tense erotic hope hidden in the depths of her eyes. Shego leaned in slightly, stopping and staring at Kim. She had moved, too. Closer to Shego. Her shining green eyes were much closer than they had been.

Kim continued to rub her arm over Shego's breasts under the blanket that covered them. She had to know now that Shego knew what she was doing. She hadn't stopped Kim. She didn't have the strength.

Kim shifted, bringing her mouth within inches of Shego's as her arm drifted over Shego's breasts. She was openly caressing Shego now. Why hadn't Kim kissed her yet?

Shego dropped her gaze to Kim's mouth. A small pink tongue darted out to dampen her lips and Shego almost moaned. Kim had to have noticed that stutter of sound in her throat.

In the next breath, Shego was dually assaulted, her mouth being passionately ravaged and her breast being fully cupped in a teasing hand. Shego arched into the sudden contact, her hands clutching at the sheets. Her mind gave up making sense of the situation and surrendered to the demands of her body.

Mouths slanted together, their bodies pressed against one another. Hands driven by a furious passion gently lifted clothing and caressed rapidly heating skin. So much was happening around her that Shego had difficulty determining whether or not she was touching Kim or Kim was touching her.

They gripped each other closely, tightly, their kiss remaining unbroken as their hands wandered with newfound freedom. Shego was certain that this had to be the most perfect moment in existence, tangled with the woman she loved. She didn't care exactly how they were situated. All she cared was that it felt good and it looked like it was going to continue feeling extremely good.

She was proven right when they shifted, bringing them into more fully realized contact. She was dimly aware of biting Kim's shoulder in reaction as Kim drew her higher. Kim's pants and moans in her ear punctuated every movement, a sharp gasp following a circling with her fingers. As excited as her nerves were, Shego chuckled. She knew Kim heard her, because she promptly stimulated Shego so thoroughly and suddenly that she was overcome, a short cry wrest from her throat. The pleasure sang along her nerves, dimming her consciousness until all that existed was where Kim touched her. Her fingers worked feverishly, some part of her remembering that the bringer of this mind numbing pleasure had yet to be taken care of. An aftershock spasm of pleasure gripped her, and she clutched at Kim. Kim gripped her tightly and shuddered, a brief scream sounding through the cabin.

They fell against each other, limp and exhausted. Shego fought against it, trying to wake up and remember what exactly she needed to tell Kim. Before she could remember, she fell into a peaceful slumber.

\----

Hours later, Shego startled awake, immediately alert. Kim jumped next to her, suddenly jarred awake by Shego's movement. They blinked in the dim light of the now cold cabin, the fire having been reduced to mere embers.

The events that immediately preceded their slumber returned full force to the forefront of Shego's mind. She stared at Kim blankly as she tried to reason out what she needed to say.

Kim was staring at her as well, her guileless green eyes looking huge in the dim light. Shego opened her mouth to speak but snapped her mouth shut as her ears picked up the growing sounds of helicopters. Kim heard them at almost the same instant that Shego did.

"Damn!" Kim leapt from the bed and grabbed up her clothing. She was tugging on her shoes when Shego rose from the bed and gathered her clothing and shoes. She stared at Kim for a long moment.

The growing cacophony outside alerted them to more than just helicopters. From the sound of it, a squad of snowmobiles were also making their way towards the cabin.

"You need to go before they get here." Kim looked entreatingly at Shego, frowning worriedly. "Unless you want to be arrested."

"Look, Kim, I really should tell-"

"It can wait, Shego." Shego hesitated, uncertain whether or not she should just blurt it out or not. "Go!"

The sharp tone of Kim's order made up her mind. Shego fled the small cabin as quickly as she could. She watched to make sure Kim was rescued before acquiring a helicopter and making her escape.

She didn't look back.


	2. Graduation: The Start of the Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim's Graduation Ceremony goes exactly as expected - Situation Normal, All Fouled Up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, melodrama. Delicious.

When Shego arrived back at Drakken's latest headquarters, a dismally damp former water park, she parked the stolen motorcycle she had appropriated after ditching the helicopter. She pulled the helmet from her head and shook her hair free. A heavy sadness had settled in her chest, and a welling mass of uneasiness churned in her gut. She wasn't sure, but she had the feeling something very bad was going to happen all too soon.

"Shego! It took you long enough. Was there a shoe sale or something?" Shego growled and ignited her hands. Drakken stepped back nervously and sidetracked desperately. "It doesn't matter, I've got a new plan for getting rid of Kim Possible."

A pang tugged at Shego's heart at the sound of her name. "What is it now, the Abominable Snowman?"

Drakken frowned. "Very funny. It's a Hyper-Nucleonic Psycho-Hypno Ray!"

"Uh huh. And what does this hydro neurotic-"

"Hyper-Nucleonic Psycho-Hypno Ray!"

"Whatever. What does this thingy do?"

Drakken grinned widely, the scar on his face shifting disturbingly. "It...it...what it does isn't important!" His grin shifted into a petulant frown. "It's in place for deployment at Ms. Possible's graduation ceremony."

Shego leaned against a convenient wall and examined her nails, carefully hiding any hint of anxiety that Drakken's proclamation raised within her. "Uh huh. Did you get the manual?"

"An evil genius doesn't need a manual!" At Shego's glare, Drakken continued, spluttering. "It was in a locked drawer and I didn't have the key!"

Shego rolled her eyes. "Where'd you get it."

After a routine manual retrieval, Shego left Drakken to his maniacal laughter and sequestered herself in her room. She needed to contact GJ. Whatever this hypno ray did, it would not be pretty.

She direct dialed into the information desk of the local library. After giving the code phrase, she was transferred to GJ's CentOps.

The insipid elevator music was even more grating than the last time she had called. Was there a law that required all holding music to make the caller want to hang up? It sounded like a bad knockoff of Barry Manilow. Shego winced at a crooned high note. A very bad knockoff.

"Reference Desk, this is Sheila, how may I help you?" Shego stiffened. With that answer, Shego knew that someone was listening on the line. What the hell were the code phrases she needed?

"Hey, yeah. There was this thing I heard about this guy called Big Brother. What's that from?"

"The novel 1984 written by George Orwell."

"And what was that stuff that was made out of people? There was that movie about it."

"Soylent Green, starring Charlton Heston."

"And what was that thing with the guy that lived by a lake?"

"Which one are you thinking of, there are several."

"Um...the guy was like a writer or something, and he had three names."

"Henry David Thoreau?"

"Yeah, that's it. What was that book he wrote?"

"The most famous work he did was Walden, which is indeed about a man living by a lake. Was there anything else?"

"One last thing. Wasn't the name of the goddess of lava Pele, like that soccer player?"

"Yes it is. Was that everything?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Shego set the phone down and cursed to herself. Drakken had probably been listening on an extension. He was worse than her brothers, and at about the same level of intelligence.

She reviewed what she knew. GJ had been alerted that Drakken was trying something at Kim's graduation with possible mind control. That man really had a hard on for mind control. And weather machines.

Kim might very well hate her. They didn't have a chance to discuss what had happened. Not like talking about it would solve anything, but it would at least make Shego feel better. Or it at least would explain why Kim had touched her in the first place. It wasn't necessarily that Shego objected - in truth, her feelings on what had happened between them were too tangled to begin to make heads or tails of them.

She sighed and flopped onto her bed. Sometimes she wondered why she had agreed to this mission in the first place.

\---

The week went by quickly. Drakken concentrated on his plans, dropping enough hints that Shego had managed to piece together what exactly he was doing. Her initial guess of mind control was right. Using the Hypno Ray, he was going to try and control the entire graduating class, making them into his zombie army, or so he said.

From what he had described, and what little the manual indicated, Shego knew that the Hypno Ray tapped into the brain waves, realigning and manipulating them until the person being controlled was behaving exactly as ordered. It appeared that the only downside was that the receivers had to be very close to the person who was being controlled. Close as in within six inches of their head. Shego wondered how useful it could be on a mass scale. She could see on one or two, maybe even six people. But to get something that close to such a large group?

Shego found out the night before the big event. Drakken was boasting again, claiming that this would be his greatest achievement. Shego rolled her eyes.

"Of course it will. Those antennas only work if they're right next to your head. How are you managing that, Mr. Genius?"

Drakken grinned, his scar twisting grotesquely. "Ha! They're already in place and waiting for my signal!"

"Uh huh. That's great!" Shego smirked. Drakken wouldn't be able to take much more of this.

"It is too! The antennas are in their little hat things!" Shego raised an eyebrow. Impressive ingenuity. Inherently fallible, but impressive. Earrings would have been a better idea.

"That's a great idea, Dr. D. Mmhmm. Absolutely stellar." Shego's sarcasm dripped heavily, making Drakken pout and stomp away.

After he left, Shego rubbed her forehead. How was she supposed to handle this?

\---

Graduation day dawned bright and clear. The cool air of the morning made Shego grateful for the full length trench coat she wore. It was a good thing Drakken was on the outside of the open air amphitheater. This way, she could watch Kim openly and not have to deal with his incessant whining and petulant staring. The brightness of the early morning sun also meant that many people, like Shego, wore their sunglasses.

People milled about as they waited for the graduating class to make their way into the amphitheater. The rows of empty seats just in front of the stage showed where they would be sitting, the white folding chairs shining brightly in the glare of the morning sun. Shego wished the ceremony would start so hundreds of teen butts would be covering the intense reflected light.

Sighing, she surreptitiously cast a glance about the amphitheater. The quiet talking of the crowd was a dull roar, punctuated by the requisite braying laughter of someone, hidden in the throng. A whistle rent the air. Shego, relaxed and alert, quickly spotted the man who let loose with the piercing tone. He was waving at a small group who had just arrived. She quirked an eyebrow behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses. He must have had a lot of coats to save that many seats.

A woman strode confidently across the stage and directly to the podium. The boxes of diplomas, organized alphabetically, waited on the table just behind and to the right of her. She leaned into the microphone and cleared her throat.

"Thank you all for coming to the commencement ceremony for Middleton High School's Class of 2006. The past four years have seen many changes in Middleton. The coming years will see yet more as these gifted men and women begin to make their mark on the world. From their first steps to their first cars, these students have shown their ability to succeed and shall continue to astonish and amaze the world. We have students who have been accepted to the most distinguished of academic institutions. Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and even MIT, all shall welcome these, the alumni of Middle High School. Ladies and Gentlemen, the class of 2006."

The woman stepped back and clapped, the crowd applauding as Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" was piped into the amphitheater. Shego winced. Why was it every time she heard the tinny reproduction of that march, she wanted to drive a spike through someone's head?

Shego rubbed her forehead. She might as well try to pay attention and enjoy what she could of the ceremony.

"From time immemorial, students have partaken of this, one of our most cherished traditions, that of commencement. A beginning that is born of an ending, commencement is a time, truly, for growth and exploration."

Shego squeezed her eyes shut. A scene from her night with Kim flashed on the backs of her eyelids. She could see her own hand tracing over Kim's warm skin, the curves filling her hand with a shattering perfection that, in remembering, made a sob threaten to escape from her lips.

She stared resolutely at the stage. The time would come soon enough for her to get action. Her little mental field trip had only taken a moment, just long enough for the next speaker to approach the podium. Shego sighed heavily. The man next to her glanced over at her, frowning. She glared at him from behind her sunglasses. She didn't care that he couldn't see her glare. He could see her frown.

The keynote speaker was actually mildly amusing. Apparently Kim had called in a favor to get the comedian to give the speech. Or so the guy said in the speech. Shego scanned the crowd of teenagers. She had no idea where Kim was. She had avoided looking before now, concentrating instead on staying awake and keeping control.

Shego's frown deepened. They were going to begin handing out the diplomas soon. She glanced over at where Drakken would be emerging once the melee had begun. He better not jump out prematurely like he was so fond of doing.

The first of the teenagers was taking their final walk as high school students. Shego eyed the number of people left in their seat. It would take a few minutes yet, of this mind numbing announcement of name crap. The applause was fairly steady, punctuated by a yell here and there when someone popular walked across the stage.

Shego perked as she saw Kim's row stand, then she sulked back down in her seat. It wouldn't be right for her to cheer her. Not when they were about to ruin the ceremony. She watched carefully, her eyes never leaving Kim.

"Kimberly Ann Possible!" The cheers that erupted from the crowd nearly toppled Shego over with their force. Distinguished looking people were making absolute fools of themselves, jumping up and down, screaming, and generally not conducting themselves with dignity. Shego would have rolled her eyes, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from Kim. A delicate flush had suffused her cheeks. Shego was barely able to see it from her seat. Kim waved to the crowd and their roars renewed.

They finally calmed when Kim sat back down. Shego shook her head at the wanton display. She would have joined them, if she wasn't here to facilitate the destruction of this perfect day for Kim.

The rest of the procession went without a hitch. Ron almost stumbled over his own feet, tangled in stray wires. Shego rolled her eyes at his antics.

The last of the students walked across the stage a while later. Shego shifted slightly in her seat.

"Will the Class of 2006 please rise." The shuffle of hundreds of feet and scraping of chairs sounded loudly. Shego winced as a particularly heinous squeak sounded. "Ladies and gentlemen, switch your tassels. Congratulations, graduates!"

Cheers erupted and Shego barely hid her smile behind a smirk. The pride that threatened to break free was stifled by the sudden decimation of one of the walls of the amphitheater. Shego leapt to her feat, her hands igniting. Damn Drakken and his timing. She swiped at some people, grazing their clothing. One of them turned towards her and she snarled a vicious grin in their general direction before moving toward another batch of people.

At the edge of the throng, she could see Kim leaping over the crowd to stand on the stage. Behind her, she could see Drakken laughing maniacally and sweeping one arm of the oversized mechanical body he wore over the crowd. He spotted Kim and began shuffling in her direction. Kim spotted him and began leaping toward him.

The machine Drakken rode looked vaguely familiar, but Shego knew he hadn't used it before. Two large mechanical legs supported a platform that looked about ten feet across. It was ringed by computerized consoles and a flimsy looking metal railing. Shego would bet that he had picked it up on clearance from that evil genius supply company.

Shego managed to cut a swath through the crowd with ease, her glowing hands reminding all who crossed her of their need for survival. She smirked as she swiped at a passing student's robe, leaving them with a gaping hole over their butt.

She backflipped between Kim and Drakken's machine, immediately sweeping her leg at Kim's knee. Kim flipped over her, pushed off of the large leg of the machine, and leapt into a clear patch of grass.

A small box clattered onto an overturned chair between Shego and Kim. They stared at it for a brief moment before Drakken's petulant whine rang out.

"Shego! Grab the Hyper-Nucleonic Psycho-Hypno Ray Controller!" He clung to the platform at the top of the machine, his hand scrabbling for purchase against the smooth rails.

Shego's ears perked as she heard the distant whirring of helicopter blades, almost drowned out by the screams and general melee surrounding them. She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at him, pinning him with a smug look.

Drakken whined like a frustrated puppy and swung his machine towards Kim, the large metal contraption nearly clipping the graduate's shoulder. Shego leapt as the machine swung clear, taking Kim down with her in a tangle of arms and legs.

They broke apart immediately and circled each other, their arms spread as they watched each other warily. Shego stepped forward and swiped at Kim's stomach, her ignited hand coming within inches of striking her opponent. Kim twisted out of the way, her leg rising to kick at Shego's head.

Behind them, Drakken was attempting to figure out which of the buttons would deploy the grabby thingy that he could use to pick up the controller. Just as he selected a button to push, a crowd of burly, well armed agents dropped onto the platform with him, surrounding him.

"SHEGO!" His scream tore through the air, distracting Shego long enough for Kim's foot to connect with her side. Her eyes widened and the breath escaped from her lungs in a whoosh. She stumbled back, into the arms of waiting Global Justice Agents. Dr. Director stood just behind Kim, the controller in her hand.

"Sleep for exactly seven minutes!" Her sharp order had an immediate reaction, the controlled graduates collapsing to the ground in an instantaneous sleep. Drakken's wailing cry of "No!" was stifled as the Global Justice agents hustled the cuffed scientist into a waiting helicopter.

"Dr. Director? There was no need for GJ to get involved, I had it under control." Kim smiled pleasantly, hiding the bristling anger that Shego knew must be lurking underneath. Shego squirmed slightly as the agents remained close around her.

"Agent Shego had reason to believe otherwise." Dr. Director's face was impassive as she compromised her agent.

"Well, Agent Shego was-" Kim's head snapped around and she stared at Dr. Director. "Agent Shego?!"

"She's been training you for the last two years. Aside from training you to Global Justice standards, her mission objectives included keeping us apprised of any situations you might not be able to handle, in which case we would provide you with the full force of Global Justice support."

Kim turned slowly to Shego, the shock clearly giving way to a festering and rapidly growing anger. "I see." Shego could see their interactions through the years replaying through Kim's mind. She winced internally as she saw Kim recall their actions of that night. "So that's what you wanted to tell me."

"No, it's not." Shego could feel the agents around her bristle at the accusation. Their commander compromising someone was one thing. For an agent to blow their cover precipitated grave consequences, not the least of which was a summary execution.

Shego took a steadying breath and glanced at Dr. Director. "Could we have a minute?"

"You have forty seconds." Dr. Director nodded at the agents surrounding Kim and Shego, who allowed the two to walk a short distance away. Around them, rescue and recovery was progressing at a blistering pace, most of those wounded already being loaded into waiting ambulances. Shego ignored the bustle and turned to Kim, her face impassive. Her eyes betrayed the emotion that roiled within her.

"Kim, look. I didn't plan this. I was brought in so you could be trained to be the best agent GJ has ever seen." Shego's voice softened as she risked everything that mattered in these short moments without a chance to think about it. "Your potential is still untapped. You...I...I'm sorry."

Kim hugged herself tightly, the reality of the situation crushing her. Her mind swirled, trying to absorb all of this new information. Her world tilted as pieces began to be pulled from where they had been to fall into their rightful places. "Why didn't you just tell me then so I could have time to think about this? Why did you just leave?" The soft question forced Shego to look away.

"I wasn't going to you this then. I was going to tell you..."

Dr. Director called out. "Time's up!" The agents would be swarming over them in mere seconds.

"I love you." Kim's head snapped up at Shego's quiet declaration. The unashamed sincerity in Shego's direct gaze was enough to throw Kim off her shakily rebuilt foundations.

Dr. Director appeared next to them and laid a hand on Kim's shoulder. "What'll it be, Kim? You've seen how we operate."

Kim blinked slowly.

"Yeah. I have." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need some time."

Dr. Director watched her "We need an answer."

"Give me six hours."

"You have two."

Kim glared at Dr. Director and nodded once. She turned on her heel and stalked away, her eyes scanning the crowd for her best friend. She found him, collapsed on the hillside, and moved toward him. Shego watched her silently, oddly at peace with herself for having laid her soul bare.

Dr. Director turned to the now quiet Shego. "I don't know what you did in that cabin, and quite frankly, I don't care. I need you both at HQ by thirteen hundred hours."

With that, Dr. Director and Global Justice evacuated as quickly as they had arrived, leaving Shego to stand amid the groggily awakening graduates. Sighing, she located the trenchcoat she had worn earlier and left quickly. She didn't see any sign of Kim on her way out.

\---

Shego crouched among the dense foliage outside Kim's house. It would be easier for her if Kim didn't have the attic room. She flipped onto the sloping roof and crawled over the shingles until she reached the high point of the roof. She flipped onto the flat roof, landing on the balls of her feet, facing the window of Kim's room.

Inside, Kim was pacing, her hand waving through the air as she spoke to a bewildered Ron. The boy wonder sat on Kim's bed, watching his friend as she paced, listening intently. Before she could think about what she was doing, Shego was knocking on Kim's window.

Kim immediately snapped into a fighting crouch. When she saw it was Shego, her wariness rose visibly. Shego flinched inwardly, merely watching Kim steadily.

The redhead slid open her window, ignoring Ron in the background. "Yes?" She could hear how little Kim trusted her in that one word. Stung, Shego looked at her steadily.

"I've been ordered to bring you back to HQ."

"I thought I was to have two hours to decide. It's been fifteen minutes."

Shego smirked, slipping back into the sarcasm that had served her so well over the years. "You've still got your hour and forty five minutes, Princess. I'm here to make sure you don't run off with Boy Wonder to the Bahamas."

Kim laughed shortly. "Why, you'd rather I ran off to the Bahamas with you?"

"Yes." Shego cursed mentally, wishing she had not just blurted that out. Apparently, her emotions were more compromised than she had initially thought.

Kim sighed, turning her head away. "Come in."

As Shego slipped through the window, Ron was babbling. "But isn't she, didn't she, she's Shego! What alternate universe am I in, Kim!"

"She's with GJ, Ron.' Kim's quiet tone cut through Shego, reminding her why she was here. She cleared her throat.

"If you decide that Global Justice is too much for you, I'll be heading back to Go City." Shego flinched visibly at the thought of returning to her brothers. She loved them, true, but they were so...annoying.

Kim stared at Shego. "I decide your career?"

Shego looked her in the eyes directly, keeping her emotion inside. "Yes."

Kim expelled a breath, the color rising in her cheeks. "That's insane!" She began pacing again. "What sort of bull is that? You should be able to work there if you want to!"

"If you decide that you don't want to join, I've failed my mission."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's weird enough finding out that Shego's been a pod person from Planet X this whole time, but come on! Mission? What mission?" Shego ducked as Ron's expressive movements threatened to clip her on the side of the head.

"First off, buck-o, I'm not a pod person. I'm an agent from Global Justice. I joined three years ago. I went through quickie training, then went undercover as evil villain Shego so I could train Kimmie here for a career in global crime fighting." Shego stared as Ron flopped into Kim's bed, shaking his head.

"You know, I'm still liking the pod person idea."

"She's not a pod person!" Kim snapped. She rubbed her forehead. "Confusing, maybe, but not a pod person." Kim raised her gaze to look at Shego, a worried confusion reigning on her expression.

Shego inhaled deeply. "My mission objective was to engage with you at every opportunity in an effort to hone your 'already formidable combat skills'. Anything else was...unplanned."

Kim turned her head, staring at the floor. "Unplanned? Is that a nice way of saying unwanted?"

"There are a lot of ways I can describe what happened. Unwanted isn't one of them."

The two stared at each other, the silence lengthening between them. Tension rested heavily on Shego's tongue, a sharp and bitter copper tang. She refused to look away.

"Rufus, I get the feeling we don't know what they're talking about anymore." Rufus chittered in agreement with Ron's quiet statement. The two women looked at him, Shego's sudden anger darkening her eyes until they were almost black. Raw untamed power born of fury arced invisibly around her body, palpable even to the boy and the rat. He raised his hands in front of him, to prevent Shego from releasing that energy toward him. "Me and the little guy are gonna go check on that sweet ray thing Jim and Tim were building last week. Kim...we can talk later."

With a wave of his hand, Ron fled the room. Shego stared at the wall, her sudden anger draining rapidly, hoping that Kim would decide that she didn't want to talk right now.

"Why did you say that you love me."

Shego closed her eyes, suddenly very tired. Apparently Kim did wish to talk.

Damn.

"I said it because it's true." She stared at Kim's dresser, the defeat in her voice sounding foreign to own ears. The clock changed from eleven twenty-two to eleven twenty-three. "For the last three years, I've had to put my mission before everything else in my life. What I wanted had to be second to what was good for the mission. That wasn't a problem...until I met you. then I started wanting to say things that I shouldn't. Do things that would compromise my mission. I couldn't do that. Finally, I asked GJ to reassign me. They refused. I understand why, but..."

Shego fell silent for a long moment. She could feel Kim's stare, weighing heavily on her. She wasn't sure if she could make Kim understand, but she needed to try.

"I tried to keep it a secret. I felt I was doing fine, then we were together in that cabin." From eleven twenty-three to eleven twenty-four. "I don't know why you did that. I...will always...I'll never forget it."

"You weren't supposed to love me." Kim's somber voice made Shego wince.

"No, I wasn't, but I couldn't help it."

"You were supposed to be...you weren't supposed to love me..." The last word was muffled by a sob. Shego looked over at Kim, startled by the cracking in her voice. "You weren't supposed to love me."

"Kim?" Shego moved closer, fear settling into her stomach at the sight of the tears that coursed down Kim's face. "Kim, it's ok." Slowly, hesitantly, Shego took Kim into her arms, holding the crying woman close.

"Shego..." The broken sob against her shoulder told her what she needed to know. Shego closed her eyes, knowing what she needed to do.


	3. Aftermath: Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A battered heart does what it can to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fascinating how what we think is obvious truly isn't.

Shego strode confidently through the front doors of Gunther Jorgenson, a subsidiary of Grenwahl & Jones. Gunther Jorgenson was a staple of the community, providing discrete services and eking out a living from the affluent suburb with their conglomerate consultation services.

Shego cursorily swept her eyes over the few milling about in the lobby. Without a word, she swept past them and onto a deserted elevator. She stared at the buttons for a long moment before pressing her thumb firmly against the one for the top floor. She kept her thumb there for a long moment before pulling her hand back, face impassive.

The steel doors slid silently shut and she waited calmly to be borne to her destination. The elevator was eerily quiet for a moment before a stentorian voice spoke in a bored tone. Shego almost smirked to herself. Her pattern had been uploaded to the official agent roster, allowing her conventional entrance to this branch of Global Justice headquarters.

"Agent Shego, you have sought audience with the Director. What purpose serve you."

"My own."

A long moment of silence as the unseen speaker likely called his superior to find out what to do with a rogue Agent. Shego's mirthless smirk quirked her mouth briefly before dying.

"The Director has agreed to meet with you, Agent Shego."

The steel doors slid open quietly and Shego stepped from the confining box into the expansiveness of one of GJ's control rooms. Standing at a console a short distance away, Dr. Director spoke quietly to a young Agent-in-training. With a last indulgent smile to the young Agent, Dr. Director turned and acknowledged Shego with a slight nod. 

"Walk with me." The Director began walking toward a door along the distant wall. Shego shrugged mentally and followed.

The Director seemed content to walk in silence. Shego chafed, her fingers twitching as her arm swung at her side.

"I'm resigning." Shego was certain that she had imagined the slight falter in Dr. Director's confident stride at her words. "I refuse to coerce Kim Possible after lying to her for so long."

"Noble, if misguided." Dr. Director stopped abruptly, turning her head so her uncovered eye took in the halted form of Shego behind her. "You're on leave. Effective immediately. Return in six months. You shall be reassigned then."

Shego stared at Dr. Director's profiled face. Surely, Dr. Director must be joking. 

"Get out of here. I don't want to see you until at least November." The Director's cold tone broke Shego free of her dumbfounded trance. Unwilling to move yet in case the dream spell might break, she stared at Dr. Director's back as she disappeared through the darkened doorway.

Sluggishly, her body received the signals that her brain was sending, moving her back the way she came. Quietly, unobtrusively, she drifted from GJ headquarters, uncaring and unaware of her surroundings until she stood in the wan afternoon sunlight once more. 

She shook her head, hoping to clear some of the dust that had settled in her brain. She stared at the green grass, knowing to her bones that even though she had failed, she was somehow, an agent of Global Justice. 

\---

The fire crackled merrily in the flagstone fireplace, the sharp tang of the consumed wood a welcome scent. The thick furs that lined the floor were warm under her feet. A canned stew warmed over the camp stove. A small bag of marshmallows lay near her duffel bag for later. 

All in all, this second trip to the cabin in the forest was going much more smoothly than the last time. Then again, this time, she was here as a guest rather than a squatter. The owner had been surprised to find that his cabin had been used, but had laughed when he heard Shego's take on how she had arrived there. She'd omitted any mention of any world saving redheads, instead complaining about idiot bosses and lack of appropriate direction giving skills. Using her salary as a GJ agent, she paid for two months and convinced him to help her get appropriate supplies. That was how she had managed to procure the extra furs that lined the floor, not to mention the stockpile of canned goods. So far, his advice had proven to be sound. 

After arriving back at the cabin, she had entered cautiously. She was relieved and yet depressed that the smell of Kim had completely dissipated. She had brought fresh sheets so she wouldn't have to sleep in the sheets they had...

Shego shook her head and poked at the stew. It looked about done. She removed it and began eating it slowly, her mind continuing to wander. She ate methodically as her mind recalled the subtle shift of muscles under the skin of Kim's stomach and back as she came in Shego's arms. The stew continued to disappear, taste unheeded, as the memory of Kim's gentle gasps reverberated in Shego's ears. She could feel Kim's nails digging into her shoulder again. She could feel the weight of Kim's slim frame pressed against her own.

Shego stared unblinking into the fire. Somehow, even though she had royally fucked up, she was a Global Justice agent. She could serve the greater good and save the world.

Why did she still feel the restlessness that had driven her out of Go City to begin with?

And why did Kim's crying bout hurt so much? She'd held the headstrong woman until her sobs had subsided fully into the calm, even breathing of exhausted sleep. It was only when Shego had been certain that Kim had fully entered into sleep that she had gently extracted herself from Kim's grasp, gently peeling her fingers from the loose material of her shirt. Soft murmurs of displeasure had sounded in the quiet stillness of Kim's room as Shego had withdrawn, her mind numbed by the emotional onslaught. In all her life, she had never known true pain until she held a crying Kim in her arms.

Then the sleeping woman had shifted in her bed and softly sighed out a single, broken word.

"Shego..."

She stared sightlessly at the fire, the now forgotten stew held loosely in her hands. She knew to her core that her love for Kim was something that she would have to live with. Something that might not fade with time, but might become at least a tolerable, if constant, pain. She could live with that. Somehow.

Would her life be defined by brief moments of fleeting, insincere smiles? Would she exist from moment to moment, living only for the times when she was in Kim's presence?

Or worse, the memory of those times?

Shego sighed heavily. Might as well admit to herself that this trip was less to hide and more to allow her to come to terms with Kim's rejection. 

Kim's rejection. The words tasted like so much ash on her tongue, making her bile rise along with the recently eaten stew. She allowed the feeling for a moment before brutally quashing it. Feeling like that did her no good. As an agent of Global Justice, it was still going to be in her job description to know as much about Kim Possible as was feasible. 

A thud outside brought her from the depths of her thoughts back to the immediate moment. She rose swiftly and strode to the door, throwing it open to find a naked mole rat, shivering in his little winter cap and scarf, kneeling on the sole of a shoe. The owner of the shoe was ass over head in a snowbank, his legs flailing. His flailing flung Rufus directly at Shego's chest. She plucked the rodent from the air and stared at the struggling boy for a long moment, ignoring the chattering of the rodent in her hand.

Sighing heavily, she reached over and pulled the boy wonder free of the snowbank. Her yank on his belt plopped him on his butt in the snow. He blinked owlishly and stared up at Shego for a moment before his eyes cleared and recognition dawned.

"Shego!" Ron smiled widely and scrambled to his feet. "Ok, so Kim's had this whole down thing going on since you left and I asked her about it, but she didn't really want to tell me," Ron scratched his head, frowning slightly, "I don't know why, it's not like I didn't already think she was gay, but the crush on you came totally out of nowhere. Like, the crush on Angelina Jolie, yeah, I can see, but you?" He scratched his head again before crossing his arms over his chest and using one hand to gesture frivolously as he spoke. "Well, there is that whole wrestling thing you two do every time you hook up. I guess I can see how she would end up with massive crushage on you." His finger tapped at the side of his chin.

Shego blinked slowly, the avalanche of words from Ron crushing her as she tried to sift through them. The only thing that penetrated her mind was his statement of Kim having a crush on her and on Angelina Jolie. It refused to quiet, swirling through her brain in an incessant repetition.

"And she's not talking to me about it so me and the little guy decided to find out what's going on with you two." Ron stopped and looked directly at her, his expression flowing from casual confusion to open curiosity. "So, hi!"

Shego stared at him for a long moment, the words tumbling through her mind. 

Kim.

Crush.

Shaking her head, she extended a hand to him. "Come on, Jimmy Olsen." He reached up and grasped her hand, her tug effortlessly pulling him free of the snow. On her shoulder, Rufus watched them with tiny, serious eyes. 

Apparently her life was going to continue to be an oddity.

Might as well embrace it.

In short order, she'd wrapped him in a rough woolen blanket, his boots discarded near the fire to dry. She watched the dancing flames arc through the air and dissipate into nothingness. Seemed fitting.

"There's nothing going on between Kim and I." Shego's voice was soft, measured. She was rather pleased with how even her statement came out, even with the crushing pain that lanced through her chest as she spoke. "I lied to her. Don't really see what more I can tell you."

"Mmm." Ron's head tilted and he smiled softly at her. Softly and entirely far too irritatingly. "I don't believe you."

Shego gave a short laugh. "Doesn't much matter if you do or not. There's nothing there to believe or disbelieve." She turned her gaze back to the fire, allowing it to draw her in. Soft crackling danced through the still space as he continued to smile at her. She shifted in her seat. "Ask what you really want to know."

"Did Hego design your suit?"

Her head snapped around at the question, her mouth falling open slightly as she frowned at him in disbelief. "Modified one of Mego's designs. What? That was what you really wanted to know?"

Ron lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug, Rufus curled up in his hair, peeking over at Shego every few minutes. "I was curious." He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I'm not going to ask what you two said to each other. Or what happened a couple weeks ago when you two disappeared. That's between you." He gestured vaguely in the air, haphazardly aiming for her general direction. "Besides, she's like my sister and you're just evil enough to actually give me the details that will make it so I can never have sex again." He spread his hands, leaning back in his chair again with a grin. "So I figured, why not get to know the woman that's kept trying to kill me for the last couple years."

Shego snorted, which irritated her further. She hated how that happened when she laughed with genuineness. Something about Ron was soothing in a way she didn't recognize. Maybe it was how he reminded Shego of the parts of her brothers that she could tolerate. 

"When I was eight, I decided I wanted to tap dance." Shego turned to look at him, head tilting as she listened. "Kim was in karate at the same time, so we'd usually walk together. One day, she was supposed to test for the next belt, so her practice was longer. I was supposed to meet her at the dojo. I was running late and Billy Samson was following me. I don't know why he always hated me, but that day he decided I should hurt. He chased me for three blocks before I heard him yell." It was curious to her how such a personal and intimate story was being relayed so downright casually, nothing held back in his guileless presentation. "I turned around, trying to catch my breath, and there was Kim, pinning him to the ground with his arm wrenched up behind his back." He smiled, his gaze meeting Shego's with an openness that was disturbing. 

"Did she get her belt?"

Ron reached up and ran his fingers over Rufus' back, his smile widening. "You bet your ass she did. Because she'd seen me and came after me, I was able to cheer her on while she tested. Billy didn't bother me again after that." He glanced over at her, then returned to petting Rufus. "Think you're going to talk to her?"

Shego sighed. "I tried."

"She's not always an easy person to love."

She hummed her agreement. "She's annoyingly competent."

Ron laughed. "And stubbornly righteous."

She stared at the fire again, letting the silence fall around them. A log cracked and fell in the fireplace, settling into a new position with a soft shower of sparks that quickly died. "She doesn't want me." A quiet huff indicated what Ron thought of that assertion. "When I...talked to her. She cried."

"She tends to do that when things are overwhelming. You have her meet a huge band of thugs and she's fine, but you start talking emotions and she's a basket case." He didn't reach out for her. Shego was grateful for that much. "You should have seen her when she got her first crush."

Shego laughed softly. "Somehow I doubt that would have been a good idea." She rubbed at her face. What was it about this unassuming idiot that had her willing to spill her guts? His ease and casual demeanor invited all of her internal thoughts to come spilling from her lips. Going with it seemed to be working for her. Maybe GJ could investigate why he was such a good interrogator. "I tried to quit."

"Before graduation?"

"Three days ago."

"Huh. Guess it didn't go well."

Her hand waved ineffectually in the air. "I'm a week in on six months R&R before I'm due to show back up for reassignment." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to assume you mean with my life and not my immediate plans to get some nacos." Shego gestured for him to continue. "I haven't decided on a major but I'll be at Middleton College, trying to figure it out."

"Ah."

"Kim's undecided."

"Glad to hear she's got one place, at least, where she's having difficulty making up her mind." Wry as it was, her tone still held a depth of pain. It wasn't that she didn't think she would be able to get through this - of course she would. It was the mourning of what could not be, what would never be, that tore at her insides and left a gaping hole in her chest. She turned her head, staring at the softly crackling fire. 

Ron shifted on his seat, leaning forward, his forearms resting against his knees. "Kim isn't an easy person to know." Shego snorted but otherwise kept silent, her hands hanging limply before her. "She thinks she's an open book, that we can all see everything she's thinking and feeling." He scratched the back of his head. "It always comes as a surprise to her when she realizes that what she thought was obvious was actually so well hidden that no one knew."

The fire shifted, a larger log snapping and settling into a new position in the fireplace with a soft shower of ash and sparks.

She smiled slightly as the pinpricks of red light died.

"You know how she has that thing where she says 'please and thank you' when asking for something?" Shego turned her head, pinning her tale sharing visitor with an inscrutable look. He grinned at her, wryly amused at the memories that were playing in his mind. "One of her early missions, she had to ask for a favor and ended up insulting the guy so badly he almost blew up a small town in Switzerland." Ron's fingers scratched softly beneath Rufus' chin, his ministrations greeted with a quiet near-purr of contentment. "After I called her out on that, and we saved the town and the rest of Switzerland, she started to slip that into her conversation. It completely escaped her that this guy who was doing us such a huge favor might not catch on that she was grateful until she said it explicitly."

Shego's eyes narrowed, parsing the tale with what little she knew. "Spell it out for me, boy wonder."

"Whatever she feels for you, she thinks its obvious. She thinks you already know."

Shego snorted her laughter, softly at first, then in increasing peals that danced through the air as the sheer ludicrous nature of the idea permeated her. 

Ron grinned at her, his pleasure at her openness easily visible in his open and relaxed lounging. He pointed at her, his tousled hair and brightly shining eyes doing nothing to lessen the impact of his words. "You're in love with an idiot."

\---

It had taken some cajoling, a minor spate of threatened blackmail, but Ron had emerged victorious. Shego had agreed to return and see him in Middleton, though not until the weekend. Troublesome as it was, she still wished to spend some time licking her wounds before trying to be seen in public again. At the least, this time she would be able to be out and about as herself and not as a supervillain. 

Ron whistled merrily as he ducked into Club Banana, Rufus firmly ensconced in his shirt pocket. His voice raised over the pulsing music of the trendy boutique as he called for his friend and classmate. "Mon!"

In a moment, a head of artfully styled black curls popped up over the edge of a rack. "Ron! And my faves Rufus! What's the haps?"

"Two secs, right." Ron glanced around quickly, confirming their solitude. The closest customers were browsing at the wall of jeans across the store. "KP's got major crushage-" Monique's eyes widened, her lips parting as the beginnings of a squeal emerged "-and its returned."

"O. M. G. Tell me everything." Monique's hand wrapped firmly around Ron's forearm and tightened to near painful.

"Dark, evil and one hundred percent all woman."

Monique's hands flew to her face as a high pitched inhuman noise erupted, turning the heads of the customers across the store. Her hands flailed in the air and she threw her arm around Ron's shoulder. "Are you saying my homegirl finally figured out her membership in Sapphic Lovers 'R Us?"

Rufus scrambled across Monique's arm and perched on her shoulder, chattering at her excitedly. 

Ron grinned.


	4. Cleanup: Tasting Menu

Shego glanced down at the note Ron had left for her. Time, place, dress code. Fabulous. Apparently the tagalong had decided she was going to eat something. 

It could be worse. She could be meeting Kim on her first night back in civilization. With a sigh, she pushed her hair back off of her forehead, her fingers threading through the dark strands. She supposed that as long as she was going to do this, she might as well make it a clean break and firmly leave Kim Possible behind. One newly purchased dress later, she was finishing her makeup and hailing a cab for the journey to the trendy and upscale bistro Ron had chosen. Somehow, she didn't believe that being number two to Kim would pay enough to afford it, but stranger things had happened. 

The facade of the restaurant was nicely appointed, the clean if asymmetrical lines of the doorway marking it as the new hotness. Large torchieres framed the doorway, the open flames in the upturned bowls licking upward in pleasing patterns. Low music filtered through the outdoor speakers, atmospheric and ignorable enough to not intrude on the conversation of those partaking of the open patio. 

Striding in with a calmness she did not feel, her heels were clearly audible over the soothing electronica that filled the air. The young men and women that surrounded the host stand perked at her entrance and greeted her warmly. Shego's eyebrow quirked upward. Odd.

"Reservation for two under Stoppable."

The sleek lines of the hostesses black dress shimmered in the intimate lighting as she ran her finger over the reservation book, her smile unwavering. "Yes, ma'am. If you'll follow me?" Two menus slid into her hand she began a steady stride into the depths of the restaurant. They skirted around the small tables, their placements close without being claustrophobic, allowing for the free movements of people needing to get around them. With a flourish, the hostess placed the menus down on a table, partially hidden behind a column and a potted plant. The next nearest tables were a good number of feet away, while still being visible from nearly every other table in the restaurant. Shego cast a weathered eye over the interior - bar along one wall, bathrooms and fire exit next to the kitchen entrance at the rear - and nodded, sliding into her seat. 

"We will show the rest of your party over as soon as they arrive. Enjoy your meal!"

Shego leaned back in her chair, allowing her shoulders to unfurl from the tenseness that had lined them for days. There was something ultimately freeing about being a nameless faceless member of the teeming throng that elicited a sense of anonymity she'd been craving. Perhaps she should rethink her plan to remain in the back end of beyond for the next five months and three weeks. 

A silent server skirted by, depositing two glasses of water and a basket of bread on the table before departing with a smile. 

She reached over and lifted the glass of water, taking a slow sip. 

Stoppable was late. 

"Here you are, please do enjoy your meal. Your server will be right with you. Mr. Stoppable wishes to send his apologies and wish you both a pleasant evening."

Shego stared, her water glass held lightly in her hand. The low murmur of conversation around them rose in her ears, and she exhaled with calm deliberation.

A low beep sounded from her companion's clutch, and the message was quickly checked as she slid into her seat.

"Ron says if we leave, he'll spill everything he knows about the both of us. We're supposed to play nice and be trapped by societal convention."

Kim set down her Kimmunicator, sliding it back into her clutch and closing it with a snap. Her deep green eyes rose and met steadily with Shego's own. Shego carefully set down her water glass, watching the woman across from her. 

Silence continued to stretch between them. 

Shego shifted, her hand reaching forward. Kim's shoulder flinched at the movement, stilling Shego's motion for a scant second before she huffed and continued until her fingers wrapped around a piece of bread. Pulling it from the basket, she retrieved the butter and placed it next to her plate. Her napkin unfurled without incident beneath the steady green gaze, her silverware sliding onto the tablecloth with a soft tinkle. Tucking the napkin over her lap, she picked up her knife and dipped it into the ramekin of whipped butter. 

Slowly, deliberately, she spread the butter across the bread, the knife's steady motion being tracked by both of the table's inhabitants. When the bread was sufficiently covered, Shego placed the knife against the edge of her plate and bit into the soft bread. 

She raised her gaze to meet Kim's own, devoting entirely far too much concentration on remembering how to chew and swallow. The inscrutable look on Kim's face was going to drive her nuts. 

"So." Kim nearly startled out of her chair at Shego's quiet break of their silence. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" 

The line was patently absurd, and what's more, they both knew it. At least, Shego hoped Kim knew it. It was difficult to tell. She had thought she'd known the woman, but here they sat, assuredly manipulated into this by those they'd placed some measure of trust in. 

It wasn't clear in her own mind what Shego had expected as a response to her cheesy line. Kim's startled laughter was not high on the list - in fact, it wasn't on the list at all. So when the soft, pleasant laughter emerged, Shego nearly dropped her bread. Thankfully, she kept hold of it. 

She did not keep hold of her composure. If she had, she wouldn't have stared openly and blatantly at her companion. 

"Monique said we needed a girl's night and a fancy dinner. I should have known better - she'd never miss opening night of that new movie she's been wanting to see."

Shego took a sip of her water. "Stoppable threatened me with a good time."

Kim's eyes darted to the side before returning to meet hers, the flash of emotion on her face gone too quickly for Shego to identify. "I suppose there's worse things." She leaned forward, snagging her own piece of bread. 

Heavy silence fell between them once again. In scant moments, a trimly appointed server approached them, cleanly pressed black pants and crisp white shirt counterbalancing with the austere tie. Shego waved a hand at the offer to hear the specials. 

"-I must inform you that Mr. Stoppable has requested that you be informed that he has already taken care of the bill for the night."

Kim and Shego looked at one another for a moment before matching grins spread across their faces. Shego turned to the server. "Tell me, does this place have a tasting menu for tonight?" Kim leaned back, her head inclining in acquiescence.

"Oh, of course! Chef-"

"We'll take that. No restrictions."

"Of course, ladies. May we interest you in any wine pairings tonight?"

Shego laughed softly. "No. Thank you."

The menus were taken and they were again left in their silence.

"I rented that cabin for the next couple months."

Kim's fingers played with the edge of her plate. "It was a nice place. Bet its nicer with supplies."

"Mmm." Shego sipped her water again. The level had dropped to about half. She'd bet the server would be around in short order to refill it. "Meant I had more firewood, that's for sure."

Kim looked down at her fingers as they traced around the line of the plate. "For the longest time, you have confused me." Her finger rubbed slowly back and forth over the smooth curve. "I tried to ignore it. You were working for Drakken, how could I seriously think - well. It doesn't matter now." Shego watched the slow circles that Kim traced on the pristine white of the tablecloth. "And then come to find you are...who you are."

"I couldn't tell you." Shego's hands clenched around the napkin in her lap.

"Yeah. You were on mission." Kim raised her head, meeting Shego's nervous gaze directly. "Out of everything, that's the thing that actually makes sense." A wry smile quirked one side of her mouth. "At least it did after I went and had a little talk with Dr. Director."

Their first course arrived, interrupting Kim's monologue. The lightly braised scallop partnered well with the delicate citrus sauce and the peppery greens that served as the bed which cradled the amuse bouche. If this quality served to indicate what the rest of the courses would be like, Shego wouldn't feel bad about ordering the single most expensive meal option on the menu.

Not that she'd planned to feel bad regardless.

Kim placed the delicate amuse bouche on her tongue, chewing thoughtfully. She raised her eyes to meet Shego's with a smile that wrinkled at the edges of her eyes. Swallowing, Shego took another sip of her refilled water. "I think Stoppable is going to regret agreeing to this."

Kim laughed softly, her hand reaching across the space between them, her fingertips tapping against the back of Shego's hand. "I'm pretty sure he anticipated we'd do this."

"Must be a pain to be so transparent." Shego dropped her gaze to the table, watching the tracing fingers that remained against the warm skin of her hand. "I almost quit a couple times. I didn't want to keep lying to you." She inhaled deeply, then released it slowly. "You have always been so earnest and up front. It's really rather annoying." Shego turned her hand over, allowing Kim's fingertips to trace along the inner curve of her palm. She tensed her shoulders against the shiver that threatened to dance across her spine. "If I hadn't known that what we were doing would help keep you safer in the future, I would have walked out a long time ago."

"Thank you." Kim withdrew her hand. Shego ignored the sudden chill that washed over her, just in time, as the server returned, clearing their plates and replacing them with delicate green bowls of soup. 

"Do you regret it?" Kim's spoon dipped into the bowl, her attention on the soup as she presented her question in a manner too off hand to not be deadly serious. 

Shego thought deeply as she took her first spoonful, allowing the cream of asparagus to blossom on her tastebuds. 

"I thought so, at first. Here you were, poster child, and what was I but your trainer? Then we started challenging each other and it became a thrill." Her spoon dipped again into the bowl. "You have always been infuriatingly competent." Shego smirked at the huff that sounded from across the table. "Don't even think about denying it, Cupcake."

"I wouldn't dream of it." 

They fell quiet, intent on their soup for a few moments. Kim's fingers played with the stem of her water glass for a moment before she spoke again. 

"You've always fascinated me."

Shego raised her head, meeting the raw gaze directed at her with clear eyed honesty. She slid her hand across the table, palm up. Kim's slid into it and she replied quietly with her own truth. "Same here."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics as the courses continued, each building upon the one before as they discussed the battles they had fought. With fresh eyes and honesty, they rehashed fights which took on a new meaning. Shego found herself pleased, if bewildered, at how a simple alteration of her status could change their interactions so much. 

"You seriously sabotaged that laser?"

Shego laughed lightly, her knife cutting cleanly through the wagyu ribeye. "The man insisted on putting self-destruct buttons on everything. I just made sure they worked."

Kim shook her head, laughing. "I'm more surprised that he never caught on."

Shego shrugged, her fork spearing the bite she'd cut. "He thought he'd bought my loyalty."

A low hum indicated Kim's acknowledgment of the implication. "Think he's worked it out yet?"

"Doubtful." A quiet laugh emerged and Shego lowered her fork, the tines resting above the delicate reduction that decorated her plate. "Maybe after a few years when I still haven't busted him out."

Kim leaned back in her chair, her fingers playing again with the smooth edge of her plate. "Now that I look back on everything, your restraint in our fights makes a lot more sense." Her expression placid, Shego merely raised an eyebrow in question. "I've seen you fight people who aren't me before, remember?" The pad of her finger ran a slow arc over the edge of the plate, flicking gently back and forth over the china. It was entirely far too distracting. Shego shifted slightly, firmly ignoring the warmth that was building in her cheeks and in the pit of her stomach. "You are entirely far too competent to not have beaten me a lot more than you did. Every single time, you could have easily just overpowered me, but you never did." She raised her glass to her lips and took a brief sip. "Its a big part of why -" Kim cut herself off, a flush rising on her pale cheeks. "Well. Let's just leave it as I noticed."

Shego cleared her throat. "I can admit that part of it was not wanting to maim 'the biggest future asset the world has ever seen'. Another part of it was enjoying it." She set her fork down, making a mental note to come back and try this place again. That entree had been quite good. "You've surprised me more than once over the years."

"Oh?" A soft laugh sounded. "Do tell."

"Florida, for a start. I'm not sure how the hell you didn't know about your grandmother before then, she's a legend." Shego shook her head. "There were a lot of times you didn't need my help."

Their plates were cleared away by another silent figure, replaced quickly by their next course. The conversation between them stilled as they continued their meal. 

Kim raised her gaze and met Shego's own directly, the air between them thickening with unspoken things. 

"Remind me to not maim Stoppable too much when I see him again." Shego's voice wasn't usually that husky. To be fair, she also was not usually sitting at a table on an arranged date. Nor did she usually have a slow blooming heat suffuse throughout her body.

That, she was definitely laying squarely at the feet of her dining companion. 

"I'm not going to tell either of them how this went." Kim's grin was tinged with a glint of malicious glee. "They can deal with the suspense for a bit."

Shego laughed softly. "Agreed."

Their desserts were placed before them, delicately placed slices of decadent opera cake with the glossy chocolate looking as though it had been burnished to a blinding shine. Shego cleared her throat and picked up her fork. 

"You're a lot more fun when we're not trying to maim each other."

Kim's quiet chuckle sent a heated shiver up Shego's spine. "So are you." She took a forkful of the opera cake and her eyes fluttered closed. A low, throaty moan sounded, just loud enough for Shego to hear. 

Unfortunately.

She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. "Yeah."

Kim's grin was wickedly unashamed. 

The desserts disappeared quickly, their rich decadence serving a perfect capper to the caper that was their dinner. As promised, the waiter did not bring them a check when they indicated they needed nothing further, merely wishing them a pleasant rest of their night. 

Shego released a slow breath and stood. "Did you drive?"

"Mmm, yes. You?"

"No, I took the train." The stop she'd used was a short distance away. It wasn't that she didn't have a car, or that she loved the train. It was a mere case of practicality - she hated parking in this area of town. 

"Can I offer you a lift?" Kim's head was ducked as she picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder. Just enough of her face was visible for Shego to spy the flush that dusted her lightly freckled cheeks. It was that more than the heat that suffused her that made up her mind. 

"I'd like that."

"Great." Kim pushed her hair behind her ear, her head raising to allow her to meet Shego's gaze directly. A quick smile exchanged between them before Shego followed behind the svelte woman. She hadn't had much chance to appreciate the dress that graced the form before her, but she was certainly making up for it as they left the restaurant. 

She wasn't sure who had developed the drape of fabric that cupped Kim's butt. Whoever it was, they had her undying gratitude. 

It truly was a thing of beauty. She remembered well the feel of it within her hands, the taut muscle that flexed with every move of those trim hips. She was rather grateful that Kim couldn't see her ogling. It must surely look ridiculous. 

"I'm just around the corner. Where are you staying?"

Shego cleared her throat. "The big hotel next to the Convention Center. They've got the best room service."

"Mmm. If I'd known that, we could have probably skipped the restaurant." 

Shego concentrated quite hard on not tripping over her own feet. 

She slid into the car, pulling the door shut behind herself as Kim got in on her own side. She slid the seat belt on. "Talking to you is definitely a lot nicer than I expected."

Kim's grin was wry as she slid the car into traffic. Low music barely came through the speakers, identifiable as the latest top 40 hits. "It is. I hate to have the night end."

"Mmm." Shego rubbed her thumb against the pads of her fingers, remembering a time all too recently that they'd felt something altogether more pleasant. "I was just planning on watching TV and heading to bed. If you're free..."

Kim's grin was downright salacious. "I've nowhere to be."

"You can pull into the parking structure on the next street." Shego pulled out her room key. "Tap the thing with this and and it'll let us in."

Kim's fingers brushed against Shego's as she accepted the card. "Thank you." The dark promise held in her gaze was almost enough to have Shego blasting a hole through the wall to get them inside faster.

Almost.

She holds it together for the few moments it takes for them to make it through the hotel and through her hotel door. It clicked quietly shut behind them and their breathing sounded suddenly loud in the stillness of the room. 

She reached out a hand, curving it around Kim's waist and drawing her closer. She ducks her head, nuzzling against Kim's neck with the tip of her nose. 

"I want to taste you."

Kim shudders in her arms, her hands gripping tightly at Shego's shoulders. "Yes."

"I want to feel you come apart in my arms."

Kim threads her fingers through Shego's hair, tightening her fist in the loose mass and tugging it back sharply, forcing Shego to meet her wild gaze. "Pretty words." Then Kim's mouth was on hers and Shego's hands were tightening on those delectable hips. 

"Fuck." The word was mumbled between them, as their hands spread across already familiar curves. 

"Get this off." Kim's panted command sounded loudly against Shego's lips, her hands tugging at the dress that prevented her hands from caressing the expanse of skin she craved. Shego laughed breathlessly. 

"Are we moving too fast?"

Kim paused at that and pulled back. Her lips were reddened slightly and her hair was tousled just enough to make the softening of her features feel all the more intimate. "We've known each other for years. Do you think we're moving too fast?"

Shego looked down, her eyes briefly taking in the soft swells of Kim's breasts before she raised her gaze back up and met Kim's own. "I don't want you to regret this."

"Oh..." Kim's fingers brushed against Shego's cheek. Her eyes glittered in the dim light. "I don't regret anything we've done that's brought us here." Her thumb brushed against the corner of Shego's mouth. "Being with you feels good." She laughed softly. "Before graduation, I was trying to think of ways to be able to be with you." Shego turned her head and pressed a kiss to Kim's thumb, causing the breath to hitch in Kim's throat. "Only to find that all I needed to do was ask you out."

"You still haven't asked."

"Don't rush me." Kim's fingers trailed down Shego's throat, tracing over the line of her collarbone. "I'd like to find out where this takes us." 

Shego released a breath and leaned her forehead against Kim's. "Me, too."

Kim smiled. They stood, arms wrapped around each other for a long moment before Kim's smile turned positively salacious. "Does that mean we can have sex now?"

Shego laughed. "We are definitely not telling them a damned thing about tonight." Her hands slid down, then back up, her fingers catching and raising the hem of Kim's dress. The heated skin beneath her touch tempted her mightily, and her hands gripped at the hips before her. "We are wearing entirely way too many clothes."

"We should fix that." Kim pushed the strap of Shego's dress down over her shoulder, laying the curve fully exposed. Kim licked her lips briefly and did the same to the other strap, her fingers lingering over the touch. "Are you even wearing a bra with this?"

A soft, breathless chuckle sounded and Shego pressed a kiss beneath Kim's ear. "Why don't you find out."

Kim's eyes glittered dangerously in the dim light. Her hands raised to the back of the dress and slowly, inexorably, lowered the zipper. Her fingers darted within the gap, her warm fingertips brushing over bare skin. She released a shuddering breath and then captured Shego's lips in a fierce kiss. 

A flurry of arms and kicked away clothing punctuated their kisses, broken when the heated expanse of bared skin pressed flush against one another. A low groan resounded and Kim pushed Shego backwards onto the bed. She stood at the foot of the bed, her panties resting low across her hips. 

"Fuck." Shego propped herself on one elbow and let her eyes greedily take in the sight before her. "I wasn't kidding about wanting to taste you." The soft words sent a visible shiver through the standing woman. "Get up here." 

Kim's panties were tossed aside and she crawled up on the bed, pausing briefly for a full open mouthed kiss. Her palms brushed across the erect points of Shego's nipples, an all too brief aside that pulled a growl from Shego's throat. 

"Come on." 

Kim laughed breathlessly as she continued crawling up the bed. "So impatient."

"I've been thinking about this for weeks." Her hands curved around Kim's hips and guided them until Kim was hovering just over her mouth. Her lips could almost brush the glistening wetness and she groaned at the scent. "Grab onto the headboard."

Kim's fingers had barely pressed against the wall when she felt a darting, teasing tongue part her folds. "Oh god." The foreplay of the night and the teasing thoughtfulness of her partner had brought her desire rocketing to the stratosphere. She hadn't thought it was possible to feel so much, so quickly. 

Shego's tongue swirled over the sensitised bud of her clit and Kim ceased thinking at all, her hips pressing down against that smart mouth. One of her hands shot down to tangle in the mussed locks of Shego's hair, resting among the dark tresses and feeling the shifting of her head. She looked down and met the heated watchful gaze that took in the heaving of her breasts and trembling of her muscles. The sight of such raw desire ramped up her already tumultuous desire ever further and she moaned. 

Shego's tongue roamed everywhere it could reach, constantly returning to tease at her increasingly demanding clit. Kim's thighs trembled from the effort of keeping herself upright against the onslaught.

Next time, she should probably lay down for this. 

God, maybe next time she could know the taste of Shego on her tongue. 

Her head tossed back and her hand tightened in Shego's hair as pleasure crashed down over her, blanking what was left her thought processes. Shego's insistent tongue continued teasing at the top of Kim's clit, drawing out her orgasm until black spots danced around the edges of her vision. Her legs collapsed from underneath her and she dropped to the bed with a shuddering groan. 

Shego slid up the bed and wrapped her arms around Kim, pulling the spent woman's body close. They lay there in quietness for long moments as Shego pressed soft kisses to Kim's head and rubbed gently at her back. 

Kim cleared her throat, realizing that she must have screamed from the rawness left behind. "When I can move again, I am so getting you back for that."

Shego's smirk was obvious in her voice. "Whatever you say, Princess."


End file.
